Free-Form Wall Shelves

Hung on the wall without any visible means of support, these shelves are real eye catchers.

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Here's a shelf that allows for a creative, one-of-a-kind edge treatment.

Choose boards that are at least 1 1/4 in. thick and no more than about 7 in. wide. Wood with wane, bark pockets or end checks are perfect candidates. (You guessed it – this is a great way to use reject boards that are just too pretty to throw away or burn.)

What to Do
1. True up the top and back edge with a hand plane or jointers. The back edge of the board is planed a degree or two less than perpendicular to keep objects from rolling off the shelf.



2. Position the keyhole hangers out toward the ends of the shelves. Try to space the hangers every 16 in. so the shelves can be mounted directly to wall studs. The keyholes are mounted either horizontally or vertically and placed near the top edge to provide a bearing surface below the attachment point. Mark the profile of the hangers with a sharp knife and carefully chisel out the mortises to the exact depth of the hangers.

3. Drill a recess at the bottom of each mortise (approx. 5/16 in. deep) to allow the wall-mounted screws to securely engage the hangers.

4. Now you're ready to shape the rest of the shelf. The gently curved and beveled ends can be cut down on a bandsaw. Don't think too hard bout how each piece should look. You can have good results by simply letting the grain figure determine the shape of the shelf. Just remove the loose or broken stuff and smooth out any rough edges with a carver's gouge.

5. Finish with a couple coats of oil, hang it up and you've got a conversation piece that will vow your houseguests.

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